Is being a casual combatant possible? All I see right now is either (a) you stink and prefer other pursuits, or (b) you like it and can hold your own. But I really don't want to commit a ton of time to learning the ins and outs of combat. Unfortunately, because I stink so bad, I just can't seem to get into it. And I've never really had a lot of success learning, whether on my own or with other people.

It stinks, because during a raid I either get shoehorned into defending or avoiding everyone until it's over. I was with the group at Rheodad just tonight, and I died twice in short order. (The first, I had sandlinged, then burrowed up when it got quiet and spamslapped Gorly until I died. That was fun.)

...I really have no idea what the point of this post is. If the rant section was still around, it would probably go there. Incoherent mumblings mixed with anger and depression FTW.

EDIT: Probably should've called it "Incoherent Mumblings" with a subtext of "Mixed with Anger and Depression". That fits it more. Sorry for the misleading title =/

Yeah, I can't tell if this is actually a question or not. Regarding "casual combat", I think most people that really begin to study combat get more and more addicted to learning it and getting better.

Yeah, but how do you actually start? I stink! If you start at 0-addictiveness and get more addicted as you go, then I must be at like -10 right now.

If you ever get a boon, ask for your name to be changed to Soludro.

No, I'm used to it. It's fun to see people's reactions when they find out I'm really a guy. (Sort of like that sick humor when, say, you're born with no limbs and you spook a lady at a drive-through (4:00).)

Back on topic...

There are plenty of people in Eleusis who are good enough to teach you to start with. At least there were when I started.

Hit Rangor up if you can get him in some free time, he's really good at taking you apart in 5 seconds to show you what the top end looks like but then holding your hand and showing you stuff.

Try some rampages, look for the smaller people, ask the bigger people for feedback and hints after it. You can find a level where it's fun for you, if you can find the right people to mess around with.

Get beat find out what beat you, then fight same person again and make sure they can't beat you that way, repeat and try again. I am to lazy to do this but when I did do it. I got better.

yes, its possible to be a casual combatant. Buy a system and try using your class skills in arena events(or real fights if you don't mind dying).

In my personal opinion, systems seem like (a) you buy one because you're lame, or (b) you buy one because you're already pretty good. 'a' feels like a cheating cop-out (EDIT: to me).

I already have Vadi's, but that was mostly out of interest (and to make Vadi-compatible MUSHclient plugins). I don't use it for much else (besides perhaps hunting) because of the above.

Every time you buy a system you kill two angels and an orphanage burns down.

On the topic, there are loads of people who involve themselves in combat casually. Arena events, spars, and such. Even though such things aren't a true approximation of out of arena fighting, your survivability in raid situations will sky rocket once you become comfortable with casual sparring.

Also, always keep up mass in raids. If you can remember that, you'll have at least one person in Achaea (let's call him Hoy) beat.

I'd call an arena junkie (like I used to be) a casual combatant.

It is very possible to be a casual combatant, you simply need to be willing to accept defeat unless you improve or choose opponents close to your skill level. If you choose to fight top tier combatants, you can't really expect to win. The problem that many people run into is that they choose to fight "casually", but get frustrated when they die. Learning to fight takes time and effort, and while it's very rewarding it's also quite arduous. Don't consider a death a failure and you'll be alright.

I'll be happy when I can last 15 seconds of one-on-one combat.

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I talked to a couple people in-game for some combat advice, hopefully I can put it to good use...

The epitomy of casual combat is arena fighting. I'm still pretty casual as far as combat goes. I hate duelling ebcause ic carry around 10 of each herb and 15 sipson every vial andcan't afford refills:P casual combat is entirely possible but just watch your back for people who randomly think you are trying to prove something when you aren't. they get annoying after a while.

Find a friend who will let you beat the crap out of him, then proceed to do so. Then start thinking what if I did this? What if you didn't eat that herb, what if I stopped you from <random skill name here>, etc.

In all honesty I didn't get involved in combat until Otha was 245(ish)? I remember coming back from 8 rl years of dormancy and dying to a totem (voyria) almost immediately. I had no clue what the hell I had died to, since I didn't even know runelore existed.

Otha and Andante are right on the money. Whenever a novice asks to be my protege, I require them to spar three people, list who they sparred, their comparable might, the outcome, and the reasoning for the outcome. You can always tell if someone has what it takes when they're able to understand exactly why they're beat - once you're able to do this, you only need to figure out how to overcome that next time you do fight that person.

Every time I have a new tactic, I usually make someone like Imyrr or Terra just sit in the arena and let me try it on them. Most of combat is simply familiarizing yourself with various tactics available to you and then becoming comfortable with them. The best combatants are good because they don't need to stop and take time to analyze the situation during the fight, they know reflexively what to do.

Yes, it's called the arena

I saw that I done lol'd. And Otha beat the crap out of me and I learned something Don't duel serpents ona 2000 ping connection and apply sileris moar. I did manage to avoid getting locked though

You mean, your fitness managed to keep you out of lock.

Actually my horrendous spamming goldenseal and focus did.

Actually me not even really trying to lock after figuring out I could just camus/relapse spam did!

I need some moss for that. I'm not sure how people avoid it. I was going to blackwind but was afflicted with darkshade and that would havekilledme in blackwind.

See?

Happy to think

Yeah but Otha is right here. Combat, in the end, is about patience, consistency and the will to keep trying again. And not in the Dakeyras way. But if you do go troll monk don't let me stop you.

Snicker. I do see.

go troll monk, buy straight damage arties, and you can kill pretty much anyone in two combos....then you dont even have to worry about that silly thing called tactics! there ya go!

Like Horkval Bard?

I was going to respond to this but then decided not to even waste my time on ignorant comments.

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-rimshot-

This is said purely out of bitterness, but: either combat systems should be illegal or auto should be allowed - there's really know difference from what I can tell.

The only reason I have never gotten into combat and crush you all is because I am too lazy to learn scripting to make a worthy curing system.

EDIT: Thinking two different sentences, writing them as one.

Double negative is positive.

Just as a bit of general advice...

Despite the wang-waving of the young men around these parts, nobody just starts up and immediately knows how to fight well. They either take a lot of time over a couple of years and various characters, or work at it endlessly, or throw themselves right into the fire and learn from their bruises (See: Azuhi, currently. Others in the past)

Start out by learning how to defend yourself. Getting a curing system, obviously, but not just that: learn how to hinder an attacker until help arrives, first thing. Teach your young housemates which abilities they have will slow a raider down in a group situation. Practice getting jumped and getting away in the arena.

Get another Eleusian to just chase you and try to pin you down while you work on not letting them. It doesn't feel "manly" right? That's perfectly okay. Fighting on someone else's terms is for hotheads who lose eventually, anyway. Play with barrier, reflections, sandeling, get used to not freezing up and trembling when someone comes at you.

It really will help. You can work up from there. Don't expect (or make others expect of you) that you just run into the arena and kill everyone who comes at you without laying foundations. Remember the fact that most everyone who is truly good at combat is >200 years old.

To the OP: If Korben were around, you could fight him. You'd immediately feel more competent regarding combat.